1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to Internet and data communication via mobile telephone communications and in particular to interfacing between a wireless subscriber and the Internet. More particularly, the present invention relates to an Internet Protocol interface between a wireless subscriber and the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The written description utilizes a large number of acronyms to refer to components, methods and services. Although known, for purposes of this discussion and convenience for the reader, acronyms will be defined as follows:
Base Station Controller (xe2x80x9cBSCxe2x80x9d)
Base Transceiver Station (xe2x80x9cBTSxe2x80x9d)
Circuit InterWorking Function (xe2x80x9cCIWFxe2x80x9d)
Internet Protocol (xe2x80x9cIPxe2x80x9d)
Internet Service Provider (xe2x80x9cISPxe2x80x9d)
Local Exchange Carrier (xe2x80x9cLECxe2x80x9d)
Mobile Switching Center (xe2x80x9cMSCxe2x80x9d)
Mobile Data Interface System (xe2x80x9cMDISxe2x80x9d)
Signal Control Point (xe2x80x9cSCPxe2x80x9d)
Signal Transfer Point (xe2x80x9cSTPxe2x80x9d)
Time Division Multiplex (xe2x80x9cTDMxe2x80x9d)
Transmission Control Protocol (xe2x80x9cTCPxe2x80x9d)
Point of Presence (xe2x80x9cPOPxe2x80x9d)
Public Switched Telecommunication Network (xe2x80x9cPSTNxe2x80x9d)
For the purposes of this application, the term xe2x80x9csubscriberxe2x80x9d is used to mean a subscriber to a telephone service and generally refers to the party initiating a call. Subscriber and xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d may be used interchangeably throughout this application. In wireless, a subscriber is the party in possession of the xe2x80x9chandsetxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94the portable voice communications device. The term xe2x80x9csubscriberxe2x80x9d may encompass both business and residential users. Also, the term xe2x80x9coff-hookxe2x80x9d means the handset or other wireless device is available to receive or send wireless signals.
The World Wide Web is a convention for linking together text documents, interactive programs and images over the Internet. Internet addresses and links (icons or text on an Internet web page representing Internet web sites) utilizing HyperText Markup Language (xe2x80x9cHTMLxe2x80x9d) provide the navigation means between sites on the internet. The communication protocol employed by the internet via telephone communication devices is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol (xe2x80x9cTCP/IPxe2x80x9d). An intranet, as opposed to the Internet, is a discreet IP network serving a community of interests that provides a method of distributing information between different Personal Computers (xe2x80x9cPCxe2x80x9d) within a company, i.e., a Local Area Network: (xe2x80x9cLANxe2x80x9d) or Wide Area Network (xe2x80x9cWANxe2x80x9d).
An intranet is similar to the Internet""s World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d) in that it usually employs a browser client that will operate satisfactorily on the internet and within the company""s intranet. An intranet may be limited to company wide access, with and typically has provisions for various levels of security for different intranet sites within the company. Also, the company may provide a website on the Internet, that with the appropriate authority will allow outsiders to access internal intranet sites. Some intranets are on a much larger scale and more closely related to Internet usage. For example, America On Line(trademark) (xe2x80x9cAOLxe2x80x9d) of Dulles, Va., maintains a gateway (portal or entry) to the Internet and provides access to content on AOL servers. Entry to the Internet through AOL is limited to subscribers to AOL. Additionally, AOL generated content (databases, files, applications, etc.) is available only to AOL subscribers. Various databases are available for additional fees and are accessed only by providing a password. A subscriber then has access to the AOL xe2x80x9cintranet.xe2x80x9d
TCP/IP is the communication protocol required to operate on the Internet and on individual company intranets. As with Internet websites, intranet sites provide content accessible by authorized users in the form of text, graphics and applications. Each site, or workstation, on an intranet has an IP address permanently assigned by the network administrator. The address is accessible by intranet browser client and is usually capable of: displaying a webpage provided by the intranet site, retrieving documents, searching for data on the site, retrieving (downloading) applications, accessing databases, communicating in real time with co-workers via keyboard entry or video/audio, etc. Generally, as with the Internet, the communication between browser and site is accomplished, utilizing telephony communications via a wire circuit. Circuit is a term for the network that telephone communications travel over including wire, optical fibre or microwave, usually via telephone wireline switches.
In the circuit world, Internet and data communications, in general, bypass the wireline switch and are siphoned off to other service providers, limiting the role of circuit operators to xe2x80x9caccessxe2x80x9d providers. An access provider, in this instance a circuit or wireless operator, would provide connection to an Internet Service Provider (xe2x80x9cISPxe2x80x9d) that would in turn connect a subscriber to the global Internet. A circuit operator is the traditional telephone service provider utilizing cable or wires to provide telephone communication service. A wireless operator provides telephone service via radio frequency without the use of cable.
Traditionally, access to the Internet is usually accomplished by a browser client operating on a computer via modem through circuit (telephone company) services. A user activates the browser client (application) on the user""s computer and clicks on an icon to make connection to the Internet. The browser activates a modem connected to the computer and the modem dials the phone number of an ISP. Connection is made through a local telephone company switch via circuit (copper cable) to an Internet gateway, in this example an ISP. A modem at the ISP makes connection with the user""s modem and routes connects the user computer to the Internet through the modems and the circuit service.
An ISP usually has many incoming telephone lines and more customers than telephone lines. Circuit service charges to the ISP are based on the number of lines and type of service provided and due to the number of ISPs, the ISP may operate in an area not served by the user""s circuit operator. Also, with the advent of Internet telephony, utilizing the Internet to make long distance telephone calls at very low rates will become more commonplace. Long distance carriers will be bypassed as more and more long distance calls are made via the Internet, increasing revenue to the ISP and decreasing revenue to the long distance carriers.
Referring to FIG. 7, a high-level diagram of Internet access by subscribers/customers, is depicted. Telephone 700 represents a residential subscriber telephonic connection to a local circuit telephone provider 704 and computer 702 represents a data communications connection to the provider 704 via circuit based telephone company (xe2x80x9ctelcoxe2x80x9d). Normally, because of the graphical interface, the only useful connection to the Internet 712 has been through use of a computer utilizing a modem to communicate through the provider 704. Recently, devices have been introduced that will allow communication, long distance, by the subscriber""s telephone over Internet 712 to another circuit based subscriber telephone (not shown).
Communication transpires between subscriber""s computer 702 utilizing a modem (not shown) and the Internet 712 via wire connection between the subscriber and telephone company (xe2x80x9ctelcoxe2x80x9d) 704. A communication from computer 702 is connected to ISP 708, typically, via wire 706. The communication is received into an ISP server (not shown), and the connection sets up communications between the computer 702 and ISP 708. ISP 708 makes connection to Internet 712 usually via a xe2x80x9cbackbonexe2x80x9d (broad bandwidth communications link) 710. Backbone 710 transmits commands generated by subscriber""s computer 702 for navigating and accessing websites on the Internet 712.
A wireless operator, represented by tower 724, provides access in a similar fashion to Internet 712 by connecting a subscriber""s laptop computer 722 or cell phone 720 via Telco 708. Connection 703 is replaced by radio frequency transmission 723, but the circuit from wireless operator 724 to Internet 712 remains the same. The communication is sent via circuit 726 to Telco 728 and connected to ISP 708. ISP 708 makes connection to Internet 712 as described above. Unless wireless operator 724 is the same as Telco 728, access and use charges are assessed to wireless operator 724 and usually passed to the subscriber.
FIG. 8, depicts a high-level block diagram of a cellular network. Cellular network 800 comprises numerous defined land areas termed xe2x80x9ccellsxe2x80x9d in which subscribers may send and receive radio transmissions to network 800. Individual cells 802 represent multiple cellular communications towers serviced by Mobile Switching Center (xe2x80x9cMSCxe2x80x9d) 804. The communications path, from cell 802 to MSC 804, of a call by a mobile subscriber (not shown) to a circuit telephone or other mobile subscriber is represented by radio links 803. Communication with a circuit based telephone is accomplished by MSC 804 interfacing with and transferring a call to the Public Switched Telecommunication Network (xe2x80x9cPSTNxe2x80x9d). Calls from a circuit based telephone to a cellular telephone are completed in a reverse fashion.
As the mobile subscriber moves between cells, MSC 804 xe2x80x9chands offxe2x80x9d the subscriber to each subsequent cell. If the subscriber travels out of MSC 804 effective area, the subscriber is handed off to another, adjacent MSC 804. MSC 804 is notified by the subscriber""s handset when the subscriber moves into a cell operated by MSC 804 as long as the handset is powered on. If the handset is turned on within a cell, notification by the handset is sent automatically to MSC 804 who the subscriber is and the cell in which the handset is presently located.
Bypassing a telco operator to access the internet continues to be a very large problem in the wireline industry in that this traffic ties up physical resources and generates little or no service revenue. More seriously, once bypassed, the opportunity for wireline operators to provide services to that subscriber is lost.
Wireless data, multimedia, and access to the Internet via wireless are in their infancy. Wireless technology has advanced to the point though, that data transmission via wireless modem is becoming commonplace, thus allowing for wireless computing and wireless connection to the Internet. However, bypassing the operator is a problem in the wireless industry as well. A subscriber (user) utilizes a laptop computer to access a wireless operator via wireless modem. The modem dials the number of an ISP and directly connects to the Internet via the ISP, though acting as a conduit, the services revenue bypasses the wireless operator. There are wireless and wireline operators that are also ISPs and thus are able to capture the subscriber""s initial call in. However, unlike the large intranet-like provider America On Line, a telco operator usually supplies a connection (or conduit) to the Internet and most subscribers bypass services available from the telco operator.
It would be desirable therefore, to provide a method and apparatus that would provide wireline and wireless operators an opportunity to capture and retain subscriber revenue that would otherwise go to an ISP. It would further be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that would be user friendly and easy to install on the operator""s current system. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that provides an interface that may be easily modified by a telco operator.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for that would provide wireline and wireless operators an opportunity to capture and retain subscriber revenue that would otherwise go to Internet Service Providers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus that allows additional opportunities for the operator to provide direct access to the Internet.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus that allows an operator to provide additional content that may generate additional revenue.
The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. The present invention installs an IP intranet functionality in a Mobile Switching Center for supporting wireless data and multimedia services within an operator community of interest. An IP network is introduced between a multimedia device and the Internet. The intranet provides a subnetwork and service context for wireless telco operators. Upon initiation of a service session by a multimedia terminal, the Mobile Switching Center presents the subscriber with the operator xe2x80x9cintranet homepagexe2x80x9d that serves as the primary navigator and launch pad for traversing the operator intranet or for launching a session on the Internet. If the initiating device is a voice only terminal, the Mobile Switching Center enables connection to another voice only terminal as usual.
The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.